Improvement in attaching type to cylindrical form-holders



UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J.'VHEBOIN FQSTER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPRQVEAMENT'IN ATTACHING TYFEV TO CYLINDRICAL FORM-HOLDERS.

Specication formingpart of Letters Patent No. 35,929, dated July 22, 1862.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. I-IERoN Fosrnn, of the City of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Attaching Movable Type in Combination with a Curved Stereotype-Plate to a Detachable or Permanent Segment of a Cylinder, such as are used in rotating or oscillatingprintingpresses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relatesto an improvement in that class of printing-presses in which the form is locked up upon a detachable or permanent segment of a continuous rotating or oscillating cylinder called by compositors a turtle ,7 which constitutes the bed or chase. In this class of printing-presses the form is either made up Wholly of movable type and attached to the cylinder in that form, or a stereotype` cast is taken from the type so set up, which is curved to suit the periphery of the impressioncylinder and secured thereto in place of the movable type. Since the art of rapid stereotyping has been brought to such perfection this mode has been very generally adopted as a means of preventing the Wear and tear of the type consequent upon the rapid Working of the press; also, as a means of keeping the type clean, whereby a great saving is effected; butin the offices of daily newspapers where it ts found necessary to produce a change of matter with but a momentary stoppage of the press it is obvious that if the Whole form were stereotyped this could not be accomplished.

.The object of my invention is to overcome this difiiculty; and it consists in stereotyping all but the latest newsmatter, while the eolumns in which it is desirable to make frequent portion ofthe typeY describes the saine curve asv that given to the stereotypefplate.

The third part of my invention consists in making that portion of the segment, bed, or chase of the impression-cylinder upon which it is intended the base of the type shall rest deeper than that part occupied by the stereotype-plate, not by gradually increasing thev depth, but by deepening it suddenly, so as to form a step or wall against which the type can rest and be supported,- and also for the purpose of securing the face of the type on a line with the stereotype-plate and for holding them to the same degree of curvature.

The fourth part of my invention consists in the usel of column-rules in the form of the segment of a eircle,liaving grooves on both sides describing the same curve, in combination with Wedgcshaped leads 7 having a tongue at each end corresponding in size with the aforesaid grooves and sliding` therein, and are intended to be used for the purpose of better securing the movable type upon the cylindrical bed or chase.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the accompanying drawings, in whch- Y Figure l represents an isometrical perspeen tive view of my improvement as it appears when detached from the press. The chase or turtle C is curved to suit the periphery of the cylinder upon which it is intended to be secured, and of which it forms a part. Around the edges of this turtle, and secured to it by small screws e e c e, is a lowwall, within which the movable type and stereotype-plate B B B are placed, the lettered surface only projecting above. `Between the wall of the turtle and movable type strips of sl1eet-brass, A A, are interposed, (these are known as slugs7 and side-stieks,) which are forced up to the type by means of pinch-screws s s s s, passing through the aforesaid wall, which contine the movable type in a solid mass against the stereotype-plate B B B.

. Fig.` 2 represents a transverse vertical see tion of that end of the turtle upon which the movable type repose.

All the figures in the drawings are lettered, and similar letters indicate like parts on all he figures.

Fig. 3 represents a transverse vertical` section of the same cut through the stereotype plate B. The wallsof the turtle are shown in this figure to be undereut, with a corresponding increase of width in the stereotype-plate.

This dovetailing of the plate with the wall insures itsfperfect security, as the pressure while at work is exerted only on the face.

Fig. 4 is/a longitudinal vertical section of Fig. 1, and shows more particularly the position that the movable type occupy in relation to the stereotype-plate and curved surface of the turtle. The stereotype-plate B B B being comparatively thin, it is essential that it should rest upon a solid base to prevent disarrangement. To accomplish this and bring the face of the type on a line with the face of the plate, I have constructed the turtle with a channel or recess, D, in which the blank ends of the type rest, for the double purpose of compensating for the difference between the length o'f the type and thickness of the stereotype-plate; also, for creating a shoulder or inner wall, K, against which the type are supported and held, as hereinbefore stated. The inner wall, K, is slightly undercut, while the upper surface of the stereotype-plate -projects forward suiiiciently to producer a large plain shoulder, in connection with the inner wall, of the proper depth for the type to stand against. This enables me to set the type with their sides parallel with each other, while their face describes the degree of curvature given to the plate and obviates the necessity of a wedge-shaped column-rule, thought to be indispensable where movable type are set upon a cylindrical surface. The difference is plainly shown by the red lines starting from a supposed center of the cylinder upon which the turtle is to be carried, and indicate the shape and size ofthe wedge-shaped column-rule which would be necessary to till up the space were this plan of mine not adopted.

AFig. 5 represents the appearance that the type would assume Where their sides are kept parallel with each other, their base resting on the periphery of a cylinder' less than the one which I employ, which is nine inches in diameter.

Fig. 6 represents a perspective view of a turtle or segment, C, similar to Fig. l, and differing from it only in this respect, that the entire columns can be Ymade up ot movable type or used in connection with the stereotype-plate, if so desired; and for this purpose I have between each column of type a curved column-rule, R R R, having a projection at each end (indicated by the letters m m) fitting in a groove, p p, formed in the inside of the wall that surrounds the turtle C, Fig. 6. This retains the rules R R R in close proximity to the bottom of the turtle C, Fig. G, and prevents their raising out of place when the press yis in motion, while they can be adjusted sidewise to accommodate the various-sized columns of type.' On both sides of these curved column-rules are small narrow channels 11 z' z', running their entire length and of the same degree of curvature. As the forms are made up, I place between each line of type thin wedge-shaped leads a; :c rv rv. (Represented in Fig. 9, which is a crosssection of Fig. Gf) Eachof theseleads has a tongue or projection on its ends, which slides in the channels eut in the rules, and are for the purpose of filling up the space between each line of type and binding them near the top or face, for the type not standing parallel with each other, they must be slightly separated at the top, no matter how tightly they are pressed together at their base; but by the use of my curved and grooved column-rule, in combination with the wedgeshaped leads and pinch-screws s s s, operating against the heavy slugs LL Lat the end of each column, the type are as securely held on a curved surface as they can be on the old [iat bed. Fig. 7 represents a cross-section of Fig. 6, giving an end View of the curved column rules It It R R, with their grooves 2'. t' t' on both sides and the leads L L supporting the type.

Fig. 8 represents one of my improved column-rules detached, and shows more particularly the projections at each end m mi, the cbject of which was hereinbefore explained.

Having thus described my invention, I wish it distinctly understood that I lay noclaim to the use of movable type upon a curved surface; neither do I claim a curved stereotypeplate, as these, separatelyr considered, are old and well known; but

NV hat I do claim isl. Using a stereotype-plate in combination with movable type on a curved surface by making that portion of the turtle or segment of a cylinder upon which the base of the type rest-s deeper than that part occupied by the stereotype-plate for the purpose of bringing the face of thek type to the same degree of curvature, also for creating a wall or shoulder 4against which' the type may be secured.

2. The use of column-rules in the form of the segment of a circle, having grooves on one or both sides describing the same curve, in combination with wedge-shaped leads or equivalent device, for the purpose hereinbeforey stated.

3. Separating the upper portion or face of the lines of type (arranged for printing on a curved surface) to a greater distance than the base thereof by means of wedge-shaped leads or equivalent device without requiring the type to be grooved for the purpose of retaining them in place.

4. The use of a stereotype-plate formed in such a manner as that the face or lettered sur- 'face shall be longer and project over thelower edge of the bearing part next tothe movable type when used upon a cylinder or curved surface suiiicientto dispense with the use of wedgeshaped column-rules, which would be indispensable upon a curved surface if this were not done.

J. IIERONv FOSTER. Witnesses:

J. W. ELLs, H. A. DALTON. 

